Window sash guide structure



Sept. 20, 1955 J. J. SCHWERAK WINDOW SASH GUIDE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1954 INVENTOR. JOSEPH J. SCHWERAK BY M,7WL7

ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1955 Filed Nov. 9, 1954 J. J. SCHWERAK WINDOW SASH GUIDE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

SCH WE RAK JO SEPH J. V BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Qfilice 2,718,035 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 WINDOW SASH GUIDE STRUCTURE Joseph J. Schwerak, Columbus, ()hio Application November 9, 1954, Serial No. 467,737

Claims. (Cl. -12) My invention relates to a window sash guide structure. It has to do, more specifically, with a guide structure for each of the vertically slidable window sash of a double hung Window although it is not necessarily limited to that type of window.

It has been proposed to provide guide rails at each side of the window, for receiving the edges of the window sash, the guide rails at the one side being pressed inwardly from the frame into resilient engagement with the edges of the sash by spring plungers disposed between the side of the window frame and the guide rails. These guide rails not only serve to provide the proper pressure on the edges of the sash to keep them in any vertical positions to which they are adjusted, but also serve to provide means for permitting the complete removal of each window sash when desired.

The present invention relates to improved spring-type plunger units which are used with each of the pressureapplying guide rails and to improved means for connecting the plunger units to the guide rails and to the associated window frame.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an example of my invention. In these drawings;

Figure 1 is an outside elevational view, partly broken away, of a window structure of the double hung type to which my invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 1 showing the spring plungers associated with both-of the guide rails at one side of the window structure.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the nutretainer of one of the plunger units and illustrating how it is mounted on the window frame.

Figure 5 is a View of the inner side of the nut-retainer taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional detail taken axially through the nut-retainer, the screw-receiving sleeve and nut, and the spring of one of the plunger units. 7 Figure 7 is a transverse sectional detail through the guide rail and taken along line 55 of Figure 8, showing how the screw of one of the plunger units is anchored to the guide rail.

Figure 8 is an outside view of the guide rail of Figure 7 showing how the screw of a plunger unit is held in place longitudinally thereof.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, I have illustrated my invention applied to a window structure of the double hung type consisting of the upper sash 20, the lower sash 21, and the frame 22. The window frame 22 has the vertically disposed side frame members 23 and 24 between which the sash 20 and 21 are mounted for vertical sliding movement.

The sash are guided in their vertical movement by metal guide rails 25 which are provided at opposite sides of the window frame, a pair of opposed rails being provided in the proper plane for guiding each of the sash. Each guide rail 25 is of channel form outwardly turned relative to the window sash and being of a depth approximating the thickness of the window sash. Each guide rail has an inwardly projecting continuous rib or tongue 26 which is adapted to be positioned in a guide channel 27 in the adjacent edge of the sash. The guide rails 25 at the right-hand side of the frame are suitably fixed to the side frame member 23. Each guide rail 25 at the left-hand side of the frame is yieldingly connected to the side frame member 24 by means of the spring plunger units indicated generally by the numeral 30. Three of these units are preferably provided for each guide rail, the middle unit of the outer rail (Figure 1) being exposed when the upper sash 20 is raised as far as possible. Similarly the middle unit of the inner guide rail is exposed (not shown) by the lower sash when in its lowermost position. By proper manipulation of the sash all units 30 are accessible for adjustment in a manner which will be apparent later.

The units 30 which I provide according to my invention are shown in detail in Figures 3 to 8. Each unit comprises a nut-retainer 31 which is mainly of U-form, having the opposed legs 32 and 33. The nut-retainer 31 is disposed in a bore 34 formed in the proper location in the side frame member 24 of the window frame. The member 31 may be extruded or otherwise suitably formed, preferably from metal, and is provided at its inner side with the laterally projecting tabs 35. The laterally projecting. tabs 35 may be stapled to the side frame member 24 to hold the nut-retainer 31 in the bore 34 during assemblage of the window. The legs 32 and 33 of the member 31 are spaced apart at their outer ends as indicated at 37 and the member 31 has a large circular opening 38 at its inner side. Spaced outwardly from the inner side of the member 31 is a transverse partition or shoulder 39 which has a circular opening 40 smaller than the opening 38 but in axial alignment therewith. The outer ends of the legs 32 and 33 are provided with inwardly extending stop shoulders 42 and 43.

For cooperation with the retainer 31, I provide the combined nut and sleeve member 44. The outer end of this member 44 is provided with a square nut portion 45 formed thereon. The member 44 is inserted inwardly through the retainer 31, passing through the openings 40 and 8, until the nut 45 engages the outer side of the shoulder 39. To facilitate insertion, the legs 32 and 33 may be spread apart to increase the width of the space 37 to permit the nut portion 45 to pass the shoulders 42 and 43 and then be forced back to their original spacing. This normal spacing will be such that the legs will engage the nut portion 45 at its opposite sides and prevent rotation thereof. Thus, the member 44 will be precluded from rotating relative to the member 31.

The member .44 receives a compression spring 46 which extends substantially the full length thereof and which has one end bearing against the inner side of the shoulder 39 and its other end bearing against an annular shoulder 47 formed at the inner end of the member 44. Thus, the spring 46 will normally keep the member 44 axially extended relative to the retainer 31 so that the nut 45 will engage the shoulder 39. The sleeve and nut member 44, the retainer 31 and the spring 46 are all connected together, and this will prevent displacement or loss of any of these parts.

The nut-retainer 31 with the sleeve and nut member 44 and the spring 46 thereon, as shown in Figure 6, is mounted on the side frame member 24 of the window frame in the bore 34 as indicated. The remaining part of each plunger unit, that is, the screw 50, is carried by the guide rail 25. The screw is adapted to thread into the threaded socket 48 in the end of the sleeve and nut member 44.

For attaching the screws 50 thereto, the rail 25 has formed on the outer surface of the tongue 26 thereof the two continuous angular flanges which extend diagonally outwardly from the channel thereof. These two flanges form an undercut or dove-tail groove or channel 61 extending the full length of the guide rail which is adapted to receive the heads of the screws 50 which will be inserted from the ends of the groove. At properly spaced intervals along the tongue 26, it is provided with openings 51 which are large enough to permit the insertion of a tool to engage the heads of the screws but are small enough to prevent the heads from passing therethrough. When the screw heads are located in axial alignment with the opening 51, the flanges 60 may be clinched around the head, as indicated at 62 in Figure 8, from the outside of the guide rail so as to prevent displacement of the screws along the rail. The screws 50 will thus be anchored to the rail 25 to prevent displacement or loss thereof.

The rails 25 can be mounted on the side frame member 24 of the window frame by positioning the screws 50 in alignment with the sleeve and nut members 44 and rotating the screws by means of a screw driver inserted through the opening 51 to cause them to thread into the sockets 48 of the members 44.

The distance of each rail 25 from the associated side frame member 24 can be varied by turning the screws of the plunger units 30 of that rail properly. This will merely move the rail 25 in or out relative to the ends of the members 44. The resistance exerted by the spring 46 of each plunger unit will be constant regardless of the adjustment of the spacing of the rail 25 from the window side frame member 24. The outward pressure exerted by the springs 46 will keep the nut-retainers 31 in the bores 34 in the side frame member 24. Each nut portion 45 will at all times be prevented from rotation in the member 31 and ordinarily will be held at the inner side of the member 31 by the spring 46. However, by forcing the rails 25 bodily toward the associated side frame member 24, the members 44 can be moved outwardly until the nut portion 45 engages the outer stop shoulders 42 and 43 at the outer ends of the retainers 31. This action is necessary when removing the sash, since the rails 25 at the left side can be pushed bodily to the left of the frame (Figure 1) when sufiicient pressure is applied to the right edge of the sash, so as to release the right edge of the sash from the rails 25 cooperating therewith, and then permit release of the left edge of the sash from the cooperating guide rails.

In shipping the assembled window, it is desirable to adjust the screws 50 of all the units 30 to prevent sliding of the sash in the frame. Normally, the spring 46 of each unit 30 pulls the nut and sleeve member 44 inwardly so as to keep the nut portion 45 in engagement with the shoulder 39 of the retainer 31. However, with the sash in place between guide rails 25, if the screws 50 of the various plunger units 30 are rotated so that they thread out of the members 44 sufficiently, the nut portions 45 will be forced outwardly in the retainers 31 and eventually will be jammed against the stop shoulders 42 and 43. This will cause the sash to be held tightly between the opposed guide rails 25.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a window sash guide structure in which the screws of the spring plunger units are anchored to the guide rails and cannot become displaced or lost before or after assembly of the rails in the window. Also, the screw-receiving sleeve, the nut-retainer and the spring of each plunger unit are connected together for the same reasons. The resistance of the springs remains constant even when the screws are rotated to adjust the rails towards or from the side frame member of the Window. The guide structure will function to apply the necessary force to the edges of the sash to keep them in any adjusted vertical position, will permit any necessary expansion or contraction, or will compensate for irregularities therein, and will even permit removal of the sash.

Various other advantages will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

I. In a window construction having oppositely disposed guide rails for guiding the sliding movement of a window sash, means for connecting the guide rail to an adjacent frame member of the window, said means comprising spring plunger units, each of said units comprising a screw anchored to the rail in a selected position and extending outwardly therefrom towards the frame member, a threaded sleeve for receiving said screw, and means for locating said sleeve on said frame member in a selected position for cooperation with said screw to permit axial movement of the sleeve but to prevent rotation thereof, and a spring surrounding said sleeve and normally holding it in axially extended position.

2. A construction according to claim 1 in which the means for locating the sleeve on the frame member is a nut-retainer, said sleeve being mounted for axial movement in the retainer and having a nut portion positioned therein which cooperates therewith to limit the axial movement of the sleeve and to prevent rotation thereof.

3. A construction according to claim 2 in which the sleeve projects from said retainer and said spring is a compression spring having one end engaging the retainer and the other end engaging a shoulder on the screw.

4. A construction according to claim 3 wherein axially spaced stop members are provided in the retainer for cooperation with the nut portion to limit axial movement of the sleeve.

5. A construction according to claim 3 in which the screw is anchored to the rail by means of flanges formed on the rail which form a dovetail groove in which the head of the screw is disposed, the walls of the groove being clinched to prevent longitudinal movement of the screw along the rail, and an access opening in alignment with the screw in the bottom of the groove of insufficient area to permit axial movement therethrough of the head of the screw.

6. A construction according to claim 1 in which the screw is anchored to the rail by means of flanges formed on the rail which form a dovetail groove in which the head of the screw is disposed, the walls of the groove being clinched to prevent longitudinal movement of the screw along the rail, and an access opening in alignment with the screw in the bottom of the groove of insufficient area to permit axial movement therethrough of the head of the screw.

7. In a window construction having oppositely disposed guide rails for guiding the sliding movement of a window sash, means for connecting the guide rail to an adjacent frame member of the window, said means comprising spring plunger units, each of said units comprising a screw engaging the rail and extending outwardly therefrom towards the frame member, a threaded sleeve for receiving said screw, and means for locating said sleeve on said frame member in a selected position for cooperation with said screw to permit axial movement of the sleeve but to prevent rotation thereof, and a spring surrounding said sleeve and in engagement therewith to normally hold it in axially extended position.

8. A construction according to claim 7 in which the means for locating the sleeve on the frame member is a nut-retainer, said sleeve being mounted for axial movement in the retainer and having a nut portion positioned therein which cooperates therewith to limit the axial movement of the sleeve and to prevent rotation thereof.

9. A construction according to claim 8 in which the sleeve projects from said retainer and said spring is a compression spring having one end engaging the retainer and the other end engaging a shoulder on the screw.

10. A construction according to claim 9 wherein axially spaced stop members are provided in the retainer for cooperation with the nut portion to limit axial movement of the sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,639 Carter May 19, 1953 

